Bed frame, plank, kit, and method

ABSTRACT

A kit contains disassembled bed frame components that upon assembly form the bed frame. The components include a pair of planks, each plank comprising a plurality of boards that upon being oriented from end-to-end have abutting ends detachably connected together by interlocking components, including male and a female element. The interlocking components engage by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding abutting ends past each other in one direction. The interlocking components disengage by sliding them relative to each other in a reverse direction.

DEFINITIONS

The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” andother forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and beopen ended in that an item or items following any one of these words isnot meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant tobe limited to only the listed item or items.

The word “cuboid” means a three-dimensional shape, either solid orhollow, defined by six rectangular faces at right angles to each other,and the three-dimensional shape has a length greater than its height anda height greater than its width.

The words “my system” includes individually, and two or more incombination, of my bed frame, kit, multi-piece plank, and method ofassembly.

BACKGROUND

Bed frames are common devices for supporting above ground in a generallyhorizontal orientation a box-spring and mattress. They may include apair of horizontally orientated side planks and slats that extentcrosswise between the planks for supporting the box-spring and mattress.A headboard and footboard may be respectively attached to opposed endsof the bed frame. The side planks may be made of wood or plastic and arerigid, unitary, one-piece structures having a length exceeding 59inches, typically having a length substantially from 70 to 86 inches.Because of the length of the side planks, packaging for the componentsof a disassembled bed frame must have a length dimension to accommodatethe pair of long side planks, which typically is from 70 to 86 inches.

SUMMARY

My system enables the dimensions of packaging for my disassembled bedframe to be minimized. It has one or more of the features depicted inthe embodiments discussed in the section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTIONOF SOME ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS.” The claims that follow define aspectsof my system, distinguishing my system from the prior art; however,without limiting the scope of my system as expressed by these claims, ingeneral terms, some, but not necessarily all, of its features are:

One my bed frame includes a pair of spaced apart multi-piece sideplanks, each plank formed by at least a pair of boards. For example, anelongated, multi-piece side plank may have a length substantially from59 to 86 inches. The planks may have a substantially cuboidconfiguration and be substantially in registration, substantiallyparallel, and longitudinally and horizontally oriented upon assembly ofthe bed frame. Each plank has opposed side walls substantially at aright angle to ground, and these side walls define the height dimensionof each individual plank. The planks may have a height substantiallyfrom 2 to 8 inches and be substantially equal in height, and their widthmay be substantially from 0.50 to 1.25 inches. These widths are usuallyequal, but may not be in some cases.

Two, the boards comprising an individual plank may have substantiallythe same height and width and a predetermined length corresponding to afraction of the length of the individual plank formed by the boards, forexample, a length corresponding to substantially from ⅓ to ½ the lengthof the plank. Individual boards may have a length substantially from 24to 62 inches. In many cases the board length will range substantiallyfrom 30 to 43 inches. The sum of the predetermined lengths of the boardsare equal to the length of the individual plank formed by these boards.The boards forming an individual plank are oriented from end-to-endlengthwise along substantially a straight line with an end of one boardabutting an end of the other board. The boards are connected together toform the individual plank by interlocking components in the abuttingends. These abutting ends may each be substantially planar and theseabutting ends are parallel. In one embodiment, only a single pair ofboards form an individual plank, in which each board is approximatelyhalf the length of the plank formed by the pair of boards. In anotherembodiment, only three boards form an individual plank, in which eachboard is approximately a third of the length of the plank formed by thethree of boards.

Three, the interlocking components may include a male element at theabutting end of the one board and a female element at the abutting endof the other board. One of these elements, ordinarily the femaleelement, is seated in a recess in the abutting end in which it islocated. In one embodiment, the recess may be centrally positioned inthe one end to form therein end portions straddling the recess. Theinterlocking components engage by insertion of the male element into thefemale element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in onedirection. They disengage by sliding the abutting ends past each otherin an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from thefemale element. The male element and female element are positioned toengage when the ends carrying these elements face each other and areoriented substantially parallel. The male element may be atsubstantially a right angle to the end in which it is located. Theindividual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lie insubstantially the same planes and the individual edges of the end-to-endaligned boards are misaligned but parallel as the male and femaleelements initially engage. Upon sliding the abutting ends in the onedirection, the misaligned edges move into alignment.

Four, the female element may comprise a fixture having a raised centralsection including a keyhole comprising a narrow slot terminating anenlarged opening. Upon assembly of the bed frame, the slot is verticallyoriented and the enlarged opening is beneath the slot. The male elementmay comprise a finger having a narrow neck terminating in an enlargedhead. The head is sized to pass through the enlarged opening but not thenarrow slot and the narrow neck is sized to pass through slot with thehead sliding behind the raised central section as the narrow neck slidesalong the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage. Theslot may terminate in a stop portion that limits movement of theinterlocking components as they engage.

Five, the raised central section of the female element is substantiallyplanar with its opposed vertical surfaces defining its thickness. Themale element includes a guide member inward from the enlarged head apredetermined distance substantially equal to the predeterminedthickness of the raised central section so the head and guide memberstraddle the raised central section and snugly bear against the opposedvertical surfaces as the interlocking components engage and disengage.An outer vertical surface of the female element is inward of an openmouth of the recess a predetermined distance and the guide member has athickness substantially equal to this distance. This arrangement bringsthe abutting ends closely in contact with each other and applies a forceto hold the abutting ends in position, constraining the male and femaleelements to inhibit lateral movement of the boards relative to eachother so the plank is rigid.

Six, the interlocking components may have different configurations. Inone embodiment, the raised central section includes only one keyhole andone interactive male element. In another embodiment, the raised centralsection includes a pair of spaced apart vertically aligned keyholes andthe male element comprises a pair of vertically aligned interactivefingers. The fingers of the pair are spaced from a longitudinalcenterline of the plank formed by connecting the boards and positionedto interconnect with a counterpart keyhole in the female element.

My kit contains disassembled bed frame components that upon assemblyform my bed frame, and my method comprising the steps of

(a) initially positioning said boards from end to end, lengthwise alonga substantially straight line, with an end of one board facing an end ofthe other board and the facing ends oriented substantially parallel andthe individual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lying insubstantially the same plane and the individual edges of the end-to-endaligned boards being misaligned but parallel,

(b) detachably connecting the boards together with interlockingcomponents by moving the facing ends into an abutting relationship, theinterlocking components including a male element at the end of the oneboard and a female element at the end of the other board, and

(c) as the facing ends move towards each other to abut, inserting themale component into the female component and sliding the abutting endspast each other to bring the misaligned edges into alignment.

These features are not listed in any rank order nor is this listintended to be exhaustive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The many aspects of my system are discussed in detail in connection withthe accompanying drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only. Thisdrawing includes the following figures (Figs.), with like numeralsindicating like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my bed frame.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of one embodiment of theinterlocking components for connecting and disconnecting abutting endsof boards forming a side plank of the bed frame shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the interlocking componentsdepicted in FIG. 1, showing engaged male and female elements in opposedabutting ends of boards forming a side plank prior to moving the edgesof the boards into alignment.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3A showing theposition of the male and female elements after moving the edges of theboards into alignment.

FIG. 3C is a perspective view, with sections broken away, of anotherembodiment of my multi-piece side plank.

FIG. 3D is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the femaleelement shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment ofinterlocking components for connecting and disconnecting abutting endsof boards forming a side plank of the bed frame shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the interlocking componentsdepicted in FIG. 4, showing engaged male and female elements in opposedabutting ends of boards forming a side plank prior to moving the edgesof the boards into alignment.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 4A showing theposition of the male and female elements after moving the edges of theboards into alignment.

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the backside of the female element usedin the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

FIG. 5A is a fragmentary, partially assembled, perspective view ofanother embodiment of my bed frame.

FIG. 5B is a fragmentary, perspective view similar to that of FIG. 7Ashowing a portion of my assembled bed frame.

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of one embodiment of akit containing the unassembled components of my bed frame depicted inFIGS. 5A and 5B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS General

As depicted in FIG. 1, one embodiment of my bed frame is generallyidentified by the numeral 10, and, as depicted in FIGS. 5A and 5B,another embodiment of my bed frame is generally identified by thenumeral 10 a. Both bed frames 10 and 10 a include a pair of spacedapart, parallel, planks 12 comprising a plurality of boards 14. Theboards 14 forming an individual plank 12 are oriented from end-to-endlengthwise along substantially a straight line with an end of one boardabutting an end of an adjacent board. All the boards 14 forming the pairof planks 12 may have substantially the same height and width and eachboard has opposed side walls SW1 and SW2 (FIG. 1), opposed edges ED1 andED2, and opposed ends E1 and E2. The sidewall SW1 is an exterior walland the sidewall SW2 is an interior wall. Each board 14 forming anindividual plank 12 has a predetermined length corresponding to afraction of the length of the individual plank formed by theinterconnected boards, and the sum of these individual lengths is equalto the length of the individual plank formed by these end-to-endinterconnected boards. For example, one board may be ⅓ the length of aplank and the other board may be ⅔; or each board may be ½ the length ofan individual plank 12. The multi-piece planks 12 so formed may besubstantially cuboid in shape. Interlocking components 16 (FIGS. 2 and4) of the boards 14 forming an individual plank 12 detachably connecttogether the abutting board ends E1 and E2 of adjacent boards. FIGS. 2through 3C illustrate one embodiment of the interlocking components 16,and FIGS. 4 through 4C illustrate another embodiment of the interlockingcomponents.

In both bed frames 10 and 10 a, a head board HB and a footboard FB maybe attached to the pair of spaced apart, parallel planks 12 in aconventional manner. Generally, the two side planks 12 are equal inlength, height, and thickness. The main difference between the bedframes 10 and 10 a is the manner of providing a box-spring and mattresssupport structure. In the bed frame 10 as depicted in FIG. 1, threerectangular frames 18 a, 18 b, and 18 c extend between the parallelplanks 12 and opposed parallel sections A and B of each frame areconnected, for example, by screws 11 to the opposed interior sidewallsSW2 of the boards forming each plank 12. In the bed frame 10 a asdepicted in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a right angle wood strip 13 nailed along alower edge of each of the boards 14 provide opposed shelves 16 (only oneshown) that support ends of slats 18 extending between the parallelplanks 12.

FIGS. 1 through 3C

In the bed frame 10, each of the planks 12 is formed by at least a pairof boards 14 that are typically from ⅓ to ⅔ the length of an individualplank. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the abutting ends E1 and E2 mayeach be substantially planar and substantially orthogonal with respectto the opposed sidewalls SW1 and SW2 and opposed edges ED1 and ED2 ofthe board in which the orthogonal end is formed. In this embodiment, theabutting ends E1 and E2 are at a right angle to a longitudinalcenterline CL of the plank 12 formed upon connecting and aligning theboards 14 as shown in FIG. 3B, but they could be at another angle. Whenthe abutting ends E1 and E2 are at a right angle, however, the strengthof the plank 12 is maximized.

The interlocking components 16 may include a male element ME at theabutting end E1 of the one board and a female element FE at the abuttingend E2 of the other board. The female element FE is seated in a recess20 in the abutting end E2 and the male element ME extends from theabutting end E1 of the adjacent board. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2,3A-3C, 4A and 4B, the recess 20 may be centrally positioned in the oneend E2 to form therein end portions 20 a and 20 b straddling the recess.The recess 20 has an open mouth 21 and an opposed floor 21 a and thedepth of the recess is sufficient so the female element FE is seatedbelow the open mouth. Thus, the female element FE is lodged completelywithin the recess 20. The male element ME projects outward from theadjacent abutting end E1 substantially at a right angle to the planarsurface of this end E1.

The one embodiment of the interlocking components 16 depicted best inFIG. 2 employs a female element FE comprising a curvilinear metalfixture F1 having a raised central section 26 including a pair of spacedapart vertically aligned keyholes 28. Screws 19 secure the fixture F1 tothe floor 21 a and lodged completely within the recess 20. The raisedcentral section 26 has a predetermined thickness t (FIG. 3A)substantially from ⅛ to ¼ inch, is substantially planar, is a slightdistance d₁, below the open mouth 21 of the recess 20, and has opposedsurfaces 26 a and 26 b oriented vertically upon assembly of the bedframe 10. Each keyhole 28 comprises a narrow slot 28 a terminating anenlarged opening 28 b, and upon assembly of the bed frame 10, theindividual slots are vertically oriented and each enlarged opening isbeneath its companion slot. Each slot 28 a terminates in a stop portion28 c (FIGS. 3A and 3B).

The male element ME comprises a pair of aligned fingers 30. The fingers30 are spaced apart so each finger 30 is positioned to interconnect witha counterpart keyhole 28 in the female element FE as depicted in FIG.3B. Each finger 30 is at substantially a right angle to the end E1 inwhich it is located, and each finger has a narrow neck 30 a terminatingin an enlarged head 30 b. Each head 30 b is sized to pass through theenlarged opening 28 b of its counterpart keyhole 28 but not the narrowslot 28 a of its counterpart keyhole. The narrow neck 30 a is, however,sized to pass through the slot 28 a of its counterpart keyhole 28.

As the interlocking components 16 engage and disengage, the head 30 bpasses through the enlarged opening 28 b and is behind the raisedcentral section 26 to slide over the interior surface 26 a of the raisedcentral section as the narrow neck 30 a moves along, and is guided by,the slot 28 a. Each finger 30 includes a guide member 30 c inward fromthe enlarged head 30 b a predetermined distance substantially equal tothe predetermined thickness t of the raised central section. Each guidemember 30 c has a thickness t₁ equal to the distance d₁ between thesurface 26 b and the open mouth 21. Consequently, when the male elementME and female element engage and interlock as shown in FIG. 3B, theabutting board ends E1 and E2 of adjacent boards bear against each otherso that there is essentially no space between these abutting ends. Theheads 30 c are sized so they fit within the space between the floor 21 aand the interior surface 26 a of the raised central section when themale element ME and female element FE are engaged as shown in FIG. 3B.This dimensional precision insures that the male element ME and femaleelement FE engage so the head 30 b is within the recess 20 near thefloor 21 a and the end E1 is pressed snugly against the end E2. Theguide member 30 c also limits the distance screw ends 31 of the fingers30 penetrated upon being screwed into the ends E1 of the boards 14.Consequently, the head 30 b and guide member 30 c straddle the raisedcentral section 26 and snugly bear against the opposed vertical surfaces26 a and 26 b as the interlocking components 16 engage and disengage.This pulls the abutting ends E1 and E2 tightly together as theinterlocking components 16 engage upon moving the end-to-end aligned andconnected board 14 relative to each other into a locking position shownin FIG. 3B.

The interlocking components 16 engage by manual insertion of the maleelement ME into the female element FE as shown in FIG. 3A and thensliding the abutting ends E1 and E2 past each other by moving the boards14 in opposite directions, for example, the board 14 on the rightcarrying the male element ME may be moved vertically in an upwarddirection. To disengage, the abutting adjacent ends E1 and E2 are slidpast each other moving in a reverse direction, for example, the board 14carrying the male element ME may be moved vertically downward. When theheads 30 b are aligned with the enlarged openings 28 b, the male elementME is withdrawn from the female element FE.

Initially, adjacent boards 14 are positioned from end-to-end with theabutting ends E1 and E2 facing each other and oriented substantiallyparallel and offset so the male element ME and female element FE arepositioned to engage as depicted in FIG. 3A. The sidewalls SW1 of theadjacent, end-to-end aligned boards 14 lie in substantially the same oneplane, and the sidewalls SW2 of these same end-to-end aligned boards 14both lie in another but parallel plane. These two parallel planes arespaced apart a distance equal to the width of the end-to-end alignedboards. As shown in FIG. 3A, the individual edges ED1 and ED2 of theend-to-end aligned boards 14 are misaligned but parallel as the maleelement ME and female element FE initially engage. Upon sliding theabutting ends E1 and E2 in the relative to each other in one direction,the misaligned edges ED1 and ED2 of the end-to-end positioned boards 14move into alignment as shown in FIG. 3B. The fingers 30 now abut theirrespective the stop portions 28 c. Thus, upon engagement andinterlocking of the male element ME and female element FE, theseelements are constrained to inhibit lateral movement of the boardsrelative to each other so the plank 12 is rigid. Both of my multi-pieceplanks 12 as shown in FIG. 1 are substantially in registration,substantially in parallel, and longitudinally and horizontally oriented,each plank having its opposed sidewalls SW1 and SW2 substantially at aright angle to ground.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3C, three boards may be used,for example, each ⅓ the length of an individual plank 12. Thecenterboard 14′ has the male element ME at its one end E1 and therecessed female element FE at its opposed end E2. The end E2 of theleft-hand board 14L has its female element FE at the end E2, but thereare no connecting fixtures at its end E1, which may be attached to afootboard FB as depicted in FIG. 5B. The end E1 of the right-hand board14R has its male element ME at the end E1, but there are no fixtures atits opposed end E2, which may be attached to a headboard HB in a mannersimilar to attaching the footboard FB. When only a pair of boards 14 isused, one board has the male element ME at one end and no fixture at itsother end and the other board has the female element FE at one end andno fixture at its other end.

FIGS. 4 through 4C

The embodiment of the interlocking components 16 depicted best in FIG. 4is similar to the one illustrated in FIG. 2, except only a single finger30 constitutes the male element ME and this single finger interacts witha counterpart single female element FE having a single keyhole 28 in itscurvilinear metal fixture F2. In this embodiment, the sizes of thekeyhole 28 and finger 30 of the male element are a little greater thanthose of the embodiment in illustrated in FIG. 2, otherwise they areidentical and function in essentially the same manner. In thisembodiment, the finger 30 is along the centerline upon connecting theend-to-end aligned boards 14. As shown best in FIG. 4C, the underside ofthe female element FE includes a pair of outward projecting wedgemembers 47 that are on opposed sides of the slot 28 a and hold thefinger 30 securely the head moves over these wedge members as depictedin FIG. 4B.

FIGS. 5A and 5B

The outer ends of my multi-piece plank 12 may be secured respectively toa footboard FB and headboard HB as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIGS. 5A and5B depicted securing one end of my multi-piece plank 12 to the footboardFB using a conventional L-shaped corner fixture 60 having a pair ofL-shaped cut-away channels 62 along an edge of one leg L1 of the cornerfixture. The other leg L2 of the corner fixture 60 is screwed to theinterior sidewall SW2. A pair of vertically aligned bolts 64 with nuts66 extend through the footboard FB and these bolts are slid into thechannels 62 and then the nuts are attached as shown in FIG. 5B to securemy plank 12. The other end of my multi-piece plank 12 may be secure tothe headboard HB in a similar manner.

FIG. 6

My system includes the kit 50 illustrated in FIG. 6. The kit 50comprises a package 52, for example, a box, containing disassembled bedframe components that upon assembly form, for example, the bed frame 10a. As discussed above, a pair of planks 12 for each side of the bedframe 10 a are formed from a plurality of boards 14. In the kit 50includes two pairs of boards, for example, four identical boards 14,each board being ½ the length of a plank 12. Upon connecting abuttingends E1 and E2 as discussed above two multi-piece planks 12 of equallength are formed. The kit includes a bag 51 containing the femaleelements FE, for example, the fixture F1 and the male elements ME, forexample, the fingers 30.

Thus, my multi-piece plank enables a substantially reduced sized packingbe used to hold the disassembled components of a bed frame.

Scope of the Invention

The above presents a description of the best mode I contemplate ofcarrying out my system, and of the manner and process of making andusing it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable anyperson skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use mysystem. My system is, however, susceptible to modifications andalternate constructions from the illustrative embodiments discussedabove which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intentionto limit my system to the particular embodiments disclosed. On thecontrary, my intention is to cover all modifications and alternateconstructions coming within the spirit and scope of my system asgenerally expressed by the following claims, which particularly pointout and distinctly claim the subject matter of my invention:

1. A bed frame including a pair of spaced apart planks of substantially equal in length and substantially equal in height, each plank having (a) a length substantially from 59 to 86 inches, (b) a height substantially from 2 to 8 inches, and (c) a width substantially from 0.50 to 1.25 inches, and each said plank formed by at least a pair of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends, said boards having substantially the same height and width of the plank formed by said boards and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the individual plank formed by said boards, the sum of said predetermined lengths of said boards being equal to the length of the individual plank formed by said boards, said boards forming an individual plank being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along substantially a straight line with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards connected together to form the individual plank by interlocking components in the abutting ends for connecting and disconnecting said abutting ends, said abutting ends each being substantially planar and parallel, said interlocking components including a male element at the abutting end of the one board and a female element at the abutting end of the other board, one of said elements being seated in a recess in the abutting end in which said one element is located, said interlocking components engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in one direction, and disengaging by sliding the abutting ends past each other in an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from the female element.
 2. The bed frame of claim 1 where only a single pair of boards form an individual plank having a substantially cuboid configuration.
 3. The bed frame of claim 2 where the predetermined length of each board in said pair of boards is approximately half the length of the plank formed by said pair of boards.
 4. The bed frame of claim 1 where only three boards form an individual plank.
 5. The bed frame of claim 4 where the predetermined length of each board is approximately a third of the length of the plank formed by said three boards.
 6. The bed frame of claim 1 where the male element and female element are positioned to engage when the ends carrying said elements face each other and are oriented substantially parallel, the male element is at substantially a right angle to the end in which it is located, and the individual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lie in substantially the same planes and the individual edges of the end-to-end aligned boards are misaligned but parallel as the male and female elements initially engage, and upon sliding the abutting ends in the one direction, the misaligned edges move into alignment.
 7. The bed frame of claim 1 where the planks are substantially of equal width and the boards forming each plank are substantially equal in width and said recess is centrally positioned in said one end to form therein end portions straddling the recess, and said male element projecting outward from the end in which said male element is located.
 8. The bed frame of claim 1 where the female element comprises a fixture having a raised central section including a keyhole comprising a narrow slot terminating an enlarged opening, upon assembly of the bed frame, said slot being vertically oriented and the enlarged opening being beneath the slot.
 9. The bed frame of claim 8 where the male element comprises a finger having a narrow neck terminating in an enlarged head, said head sized to pass through the enlarged opening but not the narrow slot and said narrow neck sized to pass through slot with said head sliding behind the raised central section as said narrow neck slides along the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage.
 10. The bed frame of claim 8 where the raised central section of the female element is substantially planar with opposed vertical surfaces and has a predetermined thickness and the male element includes a guide member inward from the enlarged head a predetermined distance substantially equal to the predetermined thickness of the raised central section so the head and guide member straddle the raised central section and snugly bear against the opposed vertical surfaces as the interlocking components engage and disengage.
 11. The bed frame of claim 1 where the female element comprises a fixture having a raised central section including a pair of spaced apart vertically aligned keyholes and the male element comprises a pair of vertically aligned fingers, said fingers being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of the plank formed by connecting said boards and each finger being positioned to interconnect with a counterpart keyhole in the female element.
 12. The bed frame of claim 11 where each finger has a narrow neck terminating in an enlarged head, each said head sized to pass through the enlarged opening of its counterpart keyhole but not the narrow slot of its counterpart keyhole and said narrow neck sized to pass through the slot of its counterpart keyhole, with said head sliding behind the raised central section as said narrow neck slides along the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage, said slot of each keyhole terminating in a stop portion, said stop portions being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of the plank formed by connecting said boards.
 13. A bed frame including a pair of spaced apart elongated, side planks, each plank having a length, height, and width and a where the length is substantially greater that the height, and the height is substantially greater that the width, said planks being substantially in registration, substantially in parallel, and longitudinally and horizontally oriented, each plank having opposed side walls substantially at a right angle to ground, said side walls defining the height dimension of each individual plank, each said individual plank comprising a plurality of boards, each said board forming an individual plank having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the individual plank formed by said plurality of boards, each of said boards forming an individual plank having substantially the same height and width and the sum of said predetermined lengths of the boards forming said individual plank being equal to the length of the plank, and said boards forming an individual plank being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards connected together by interlocking components in the abutting ends to form the individual plank, said interlocking components including a male element at the end of the one board and a female element at the end of the other board, said interlocking components (a) being positioned to engage upon the ends carrying the male and female elements facing each other and oriented to be substantially parallel and the side walls of the boards parallel and the edges of the boards misaligned but parallel, (b) engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends in one direction past each other to bring the unaligned edges into alignment, and (c) disengaging by sliding the abutting ends in an opposite direction past each other to bring the aligned edges into misalignment and withdrawing the male element from the female element.
 14. A bed frame including a pair of spaced apart substantially cuboid, elongated, side planks, each plank having a length, height, and width and a where the length is substantially greater that the height, and the height is substantially greater that the width, said planks being substantially in registration, substantially in parallel, and longitudinally and horizontally oriented, each plank having opposed side walls substantially at a right angle to ground, said side walls defining the height dimension of each individual plank, each said individual plank comprising a plurality of boards, each said board forming an individual plank having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the individual plank formed by said plurality of boards, each of said boards forming an individual plank having substantially the sum of said predetermined lengths of the boards forming said individual plank being equal to the length of the plank, and means for assembling said boards into an individual plank with said boards oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and said assembling means including means for connecting and disconnecting the boards including interlocking components in the abutting board ends, each said abutting end being substantially orthogonal with respect to the opposed side walls and opposed edges of the board in which said end is formed, said interlocking components including a male element at the end of the one board and a female element at the end of the other board, said interlocking components (a) being positioned to engage upon the ends carrying the male and female elements facing each other and oriented to be substantially parallel and the side walls of the boards parallel and the edges of the boards misaligned but parallel, (b) engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends in one direction past each other to bring the unaligned edges into alignment, and (c) disengaging by sliding the abutting ends in an opposite direction past each other to bring the aligned edges into misalignment and withdrawing the male element from the female element.
 15. A multi-piece plank for a side of a bed frame having a length from 59 to 86 inches and comprising a plurality of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends, said boards each having substantially the same height and width and each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends, and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the plank formed and the sum of said predetermined lengths of boards being equal to the length of the plank, said boards being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards being detachably connected together to form the plank by interlocking components in the abutting ends, said interlocking components including a male element at the abutting end of the one board and a female element at the abutting end of the other board, said interlocking components engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in one direction, and disengaging by sliding the abutting ends past each other in an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from the female element, and upon engagement said male element and female element being constrained to inhibit lateral movement of the boards relative to each other so the plank is rigid.
 16. The plank of claim 15 where said abutting ends each are substantially orthogonal with respect to the opposed side walls and opposed edges of the board in which said orthogonal end is formed, and the male element and female element are positioned to engage when the ends carrying said elements face each other and are oriented substantially parallel and the individual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lie in substantially the same plane and the individual edges of the end-to-end aligned boards are misaligned but parallel as the male and female elements initially engage, and upon sliding the abutting ends in the one direction, the misaligned edges move into alignment.
 17. The plank of claim 16 where the female element comprises a fixture having a raised central section including a keyhole comprising a narrow slot terminating an enlarged opening, upon connecting the ends of the boards, said slot being vertically oriented and the enlarged opening being beneath the slot.
 18. The plank of claim 17 where the male element comprises a finger having a narrow neck terminating in an enlarged head, said head sized to pass through the enlarged opening but not the narrow slot and said narrow neck sized to pass through slot with said head sliding behind the raised central section as said narrow neck slides along the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage.
 19. The plank of claim 18 where the raised central section of the female element is substantially planar with opposed vertical surfaces and has a predetermined thickness and the male element includes a guide member inward from the enlarged head a predetermined distance substantially equal to the predetermined thickness of the raised central section so the head and guide member straddle the raised central section and snugly bear against the opposed vertical surfaces as the interlocking components engage and disengage.
 20. A kit containing disassembled bed frame components that upon assembly form the bed frame, said components including a pair of planks for a side of a bed frame of equal length from 59 to 86 inches, each said plank comprising a plurality of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends, said boards each having substantially the same height and width and each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends, and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the plank formed and the sum of said predetermined lengths of boards being equal to the length of the plank, said boards being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards being detachably connected together to form the plank by interlocking components in the abutting ends, said interlocking components including a male element at the abutting end of the one board and a female element at the abutting end of the other board, said interlocking components engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in one direction, and disengaging by sliding the abutting ends past each other in an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from the female element, and upon engagement said male element and female element being constrained to inhibit lateral movement of the boards relative to each other so the plank is rigid.
 21. A method of assembling a bed frame wherein a substantially cuboid, elongated, side plank having a length substantially from 59 to 86 inches is formed from a plurality of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends and a predetermined length corresponding to substantially from ⅓ to ½ the length of the plank, said boards having substantially the same height and width and the sum of said predetermined lengths of the boards being equal to the length of the plank, said method comprising the steps of (a) initially positioning said boards from end to end, lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board facing an end of the other board and the facing ends oriented substantially parallel and the individual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lying in substantially the same plane and the individual edges of the end-to-end aligned boards being misaligned but parallel, (b) detachably connecting the boards together with interlocking components by moving the facing ends into an abutting relationship, said interlocking components including a male element at the end of the one board and a female element at the end of the other board, and (c) as the facing ends move towards each other to abut, inserting the male component into the female component and sliding the abutting ends past each other to bring the misaligned edges into alignment.
 22. The method of claim 21 where one of said elements is seated in a recess in the end in which said one element is located, said recess being centrally positioned in said one end to form end portions straddling the recess, and said male element projects outward from the end in which said male element is located. 